Psoriasis explained
Psoriasis is a long-term skin condition which can occur anywhere on your body. Your skin usually takes around 28 days to renew and replace itself but in areas affected by psoriasis this process speeds up to around 3 or 4 days.
Psoriasis causes skin to be inflamed, scaly and red in colour. The areas of skin affected by psoriasis are commonly referred to as ‘skin lesions’ or ‘plaques’. The size and number of skin lesions varies between individuals.
Psoriasis is not contagious, nor can it be transferred from one affected part of the body to another.
Psoriasis can impact your life in many ways. It can affect you physically, emotionally and socially. You may need to learn to cope not only with the condition, but also with other people’s reaction to it. While no cure has yet been found, medical knowledge about the condition has greatly increased over the last five years.
Psoriasis can occur at any age and it is just as likely to affect women as men.
If you think you may have psoriasis, or are concerned about the condition or appearance of your skin, you should seek advice from your healthcare team.